National X-ray School
Overview
Training the next generation of light source users, the National X-ray School will provide an intensive nine-day introduction to x-ray characterization. Geared to early career graduate students who are interested in using a variety of x-ray techniques for their thesis work. This immersive school will feature lectures by experts from academia, industry and national laboratories and hands on experiments at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Lectures will cover the fundamentals of X-ray interactions with matter, X-ray generation and source characteristics and the application of X-ray microscopy, spectroscopy, and diffraction methods to a range of scientific subjects.
The School is jointly conducted by Argonne National Laboratory’s Educational Programs and Outreach Division and Advanced Photon Source.
The School is supported by the U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences.
National X-ray School
Apply Now!Target Audience
The school accepts 60 applicants each year, targeting:
- Graduate students majoring in physics, chemistry, materials science, geosciences, engineering, or related fields whose research will benefit from multiple x-ray-based techniques.
Most commonly, priority is given to students who:
- Are expected to use multiple x-ray experimental techniques in their graduate research.
- Already started their graduate research and will utilize x-ray techniques to complete it (typically students in their 2nd or 3rd year of graduate work).
- Typically, only one student per department is accepted. Almost never more than one student from a single research group.
Application Process
The NX School is highly competitive and usually oversubscribed. To apply as student to the school:
- Read the application instructions.
- Talk with your thesis advisor about the application.
- Evaluation letters from the thesis advisor and two additional references are required. The application system will ask for the referrers information and automatically send out requests. Applications without a letter from the advisor will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to follow up with the referrers and make sure the letters are submitted prior to the deadline.
- Complete and submit an online application.